Goodbyes
by RockaRoller88
Summary: Korra has to travel to Ba Sing Se, and could be gone for several months. Mako, who has always been terrible at this sort of thing, stands at the train station and struggles to think of how to say goodbye. MaKorra if you really squint.


**A/N: **Well, here's my first foray into the new series! It's based around Mako and Korra. It's basically about sucking at goodbyes. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing! I am not clever enough to be behind Avatar...

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He isn't sure when, but at some point, the city suddenly became more appealing to him. He wandered through the streets, stepped through the foul, stagnant puddles, brushed the smokey exhaust and kicked-up dust from his jacket, and he couldn't see the ugliness anymore. The buildings peaked out in his vision as though they were invading the sky, but all he saw was the sun shimmering across the metal and gas, and all he could hear were the busy sounds of life in the air.

He reaches the train station and leans against the wall, trying his best to look nonchalant and uncaring. He adopts his coolest glare, narrowing his eyes and feverishly pretending not to care what the people around him think. Despite himself, he's really nervous. He doesn't know how to do these sorts of things, it makes him uncomfortable and he'd really much rather it not happen at all.

When he hears Naga's loping gait, its almost a relief. He bites back the smile at seeing her clumsily make her way across the train yard, ruthlessly bumping into officious looking bystanders as she struggles to get to him. She's got way too much energy for the city, but, though Mako would never admit it, that's kind of what he likes about her.

Korra shoots him a winning smile that (is he imagining it?) looks like its touched with a hint of sadness. They might both deny it, but he knows they're friends, and good ones at that. She hands Naga off to the handler and scoots over to him, kicking the dust and pointedly looking away. She opens her mouth slightly, as though she wants to say something, but she thinks better of it and lets the thought go. Something cold and icy grabs a hold of his chest as he struggles to think of something to say in this situation, of what to do.

"So..." she starts, tucking her arms behind her back. Her oceanic blue eyes grab hold of his, and he is struck by them. How could he have never noticed how shockingly blue they are?

"I.. um," he replies awkwardly, "So.. did Bolin already say goodbye?"

She shoots him a smirk that matches his own, grateful to have something to talk about other than the reality that sits in front of them. "He sure did. For about a half an hour," she jokes, "You know how much Bolin loves to talk. I just hope I didn't make him late for work."

"Oh, I'm sure it's fine," he replies clumsily.

A horribly pregnant pause ensues. Silence looms in the air over them, so thick that they could swear they feel the weight on their shoulders. Despite himself, Mako is incredibly jealous of Bolin's easy way with people, especially girls. Bolin's always managed to keep everyone around him laughing, surrounding himself with very cute girls, though Mako doesn't like to admit it, that hang on his every word. It's never been like that for Mako. Barring a few miraculous coincidences (like being hit by a freaking _moped_ for instance) girls have always found him kind of harsh and abrasive.

He supposes that is because of his parents, of his childhood. He held his own mother in his arms, and he felt his childish tears mixing with the blood and ash that soaked into his hands. It is one of his earliest memories, that terrifying scene, hearing his tiny screams echo across that dank, empty alleyway, screams that still wake him up on dark, cold nights. He had cradled his small brother, felt the fat globs of tears dribble down his back and _promised _him, swore on his _life _that he would take care of him. He shouldered that responsibility and never complained, he hardened his resolve and maybe his heart in the process, doing what needed to be done. He wonders if that firebending mugger stole more from him than just his parents.

Since then, he's never been able to talk and joke, or really express himself with anything other than firebending. He's not very touchy-feely, and when anything involving... _feelings_...is spoken about, he could almost choke he gets so uncomfortable. So now, this girl who he really cares about stands in front of him, expecting him to say something, and he desperately wants to. He _desperately _wants to. She's important to him, he realizes, and he wants her around, he wants her to know that he is fundamentally glad that she is in his life. He tries to force out something, _anything_, that might make her know this, but the words get lost on the way to his mouth and he just stands there awkwardly.

_C'mon you idiot! She's going to be gone for _months_ and you've got to say something! Tell her she's a good friend, tell her she's a talented bender, tell her you'll think about her while she's gone! You can't be so freaking emotionally stunted!_

"Well," she starts, awkwardly breaking the silence, "I won't be gone too long. We'll get plenty of practice in before the season starts up again. I'll bet we've got a shot at the title next year!"

He tries to smile, but he's not sure it comes out that way. She flashes him a grin and waves, and he sees waves of light shimmer up and down her hair as she turns away.

And suddenly, something kind of amazing happens, though no one but Mako would really be struck by how important it is. Those..._feelings_... that Mako so fervently denies that he has, burst through the ice, and he can move again.

"Wait!" he starts, and before he can stop it, his hand shoots forward, grabbing a hold of Korra's shoulder and turning her part ways around. He feels his breath catch in his throat, watches Korra's sudden surprise pick her eyebrows up and expose the warm pools of blue in her irises. She looks at him expectantly and Spirits help him, he _tries_, he really does, as hard as he's ever tried anything.

"Korra... I...you," he stammers, thoroughly mortified, "You know you're a good... I'll... Me and Bolin will be... We're going to..."

Korra gives him a smile that is so warm he could swear that he feels the temperature rise around his face. She covers his hand with her own bronze one, and he is truly amazed at just how soft it is, despite all the training she undergoes. They stay like that for what feels like forever, he feels her body heat run through his skin and the raucous noises of the station slowly drift away, catching in his throat. Then, she lets his hand go, and turns away. She boards the train and disappears into the crowd, and the only memory of the moment he has left is the tingling feeling her hand left on his.

He doesn't know if he's got any romantic feelings for her; he only knows that he cares about her and that she's a fantastic friend that he'd rather keep around. His legs give out from underneath him, and he slowly slides to the train floor, letting his legs splay out. He screws his eyes shut and rests his head against the course, rough brick wall for a long time, long enough that the noon bell rings before he opens his eyes again.

A sad smile springs to life unbidden on his face, and he drags himself back to his feet. A lonely hand wraps itself around the back of his head, and he turns away from the train yard. He sighs.

"Mako, you really do suck."

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**A/N: **Well there it is! What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Leave a review! You know all us fic writers love 'em!

This is kind of based on personal experience. I've never been too great at being... erm... emotional or whatever, either, and I had to say goodbye to an old friend not too terribly long ago. I was pretty awful at saying what needed to be said, and this is kind of how I felt about the whole experience. Regardless, I'm kind of fifty-fifty about how this came out, so let me know what you think!

Now, I also need some opinions on this as well. I love cars, and I'm toying with the idea of starting a chapter fic up that centers on the car racing in New Republic City. I'd probably focus a lot on the love triangle between Mako, Asami and Korra, maybe have Korra enter a race, and I'd get to tie my love of cars into my love of Avatar! BUT I need to know if that's something y'all would be interested in! Let me know! I'd try to keep it light, but there'd be talk about cylinders and horsepower (ostrich horse power?) and racing lines and suspension and stuff. Would y'all like to read something like that? I know people have been pretty love-it or hate-it about cars in the Avatarverse

RockaRoller88


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